house advisor who said the barrier to progress here, in many respects, deficits, gun legislation, the economy, that there are factions here in congress, republicans in congress who are out of the mainstream. we need more republicans in congress, he said, to think like republicans in the country who are seeking compromise, seeking balance. that from david plouffe senior white house advisor. meantime cbs director, dickerson wrote a piece-- hold on, he wrote a piece and a column urging the president to pulverize and destroy his republican opponents. even to go for the throat in order to quote, cement his legacy. monica crowley is a radio talk show house and kirsten powers, beast -- john dickerson not eric. and let's just start with whether you believe that's true. where are you, kirsten, do you believe it's true that the president's goal is to divide and conquer the republicans, the house republicans, such that they will be defeated, what he uses the more extremist elements, in the 2014 mid terms? >> this is a line preceding the election that that's what he was doing through the whole fiscal cli